Collapsible shelving



June 41, 1965 H, c, MOORE 3,186,363

COLLAPSIBLE SHELVING Filed Oct. 9, 1961 'f 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1, 1965 H. c. MOORE COLLAPSIBLE SHELVING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9. 1961 /NVE/Vrom HH @OLD C. MOORE,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,186,363 CLLAISIBLE SHELVING Harold C. Moore, 1400 Norman Place, Warson Woods, St. Louis 22, Mo. Filed ct. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 143,680 3 Claims. (Cl. 10S- 114) The present invention relates to collapsible shelving, and particularly of the type that is useful in retail stores, such as shoe stores, that are adapted to receive merchandise in boxes. For example, the shelving of the present invention can provide a series of stacks for shoe boxes with a Very minimum of wasted space leaving maximum useful space to receive the boxes, thus providing maximum number of shoe boxes at reachable height.

The invention is especially useful in connection with the sale of shoes since a shoe shop must keep as many styles of shoes and a number of sizes of each style as close as possible to chairs or selling area. Therefore, the problem of sufficiency of shelf capacity per square foot of floor yarea in any shoe store or shoe department is of major importance. Also the shelving must be flexible so that it can be adjusted to accommodate variations in the sizes of the boxes without sacrifice of useful space.

Another valuable feature of ret-ail store shelving is' that it be capable of simple ,and quick assembly. The present invention has for its object a shelving that can be quickly and easily assembled without tools and without use of bolts, nuts, screws or similar methods of securing assembly, and yet which is strong and sturdy when assembled. A further object is to provide shelving made from a minimum number of different elements; and, specically, to provide shelving consisting essentially of a plurality of identical columns and horizontal connectors that connect to strong basic frames spaced at intervals for `added rigidity and strength, and that can be assembled into a long series of laterally joined shelving units of great strength and rigidity, but occupying a minimum of useable space.

A basic component of the present invention is a strong and rigid rectangular frame of a size to provide one section or" shelves for a given area. This rectangular basic frame comprises essentially two slotted columns, one at each side of the frame, the columns being joined securely by upper and lower connectors in the form of oppositely facing channel members giving the frame great rigidity. The basic frame is readily fitted by hand upon bases or feet that support it lirmly. The upright columns of the basic frame are provided with vertical series of open slots on both sides of each upright element so that they can support shelf brackets on either or both sides at selected minutely spaced positions. Appropriate top and bottom finish pieces can be fitted by hand over the top and bottom frame elements to give a neat appearance and to add to the rigidity.

In addition to the basic frame unit aforesaid, the shelving comprises additional upper and lower connectors attachable outside the basic rectangular frame, and having their ends connectable to additional individual colums, also slotted on both sides. Additional shelving can be mounted in this added unit, between the outside of the basic unit column and the inside of the added column, at less cost than using only basic frames in a continuous row. Each added unit has its identical top cover for dust protection and bottom cover for use as a bottom shelf and added rigidity.

Alternately, additional rectangular basic frames may be interposed in a series of stacks where an especially rigid and strong construction is required. For instance, a single set of upper and lower connectors can be hooked in between the basic frames or individual columns, spaced, but

3,186,363 Patented June l, 1965 facing side frame elements of two rectangular frames, to provide three or more stacks.

By the foregoing arrangement, the shelving attains the objectives desired. It can be readily assembled and disassembled. It requires a minimum of shipping space. It can be adjusted to suit any wall width, and any arrangement of shelves.

Other objects will appear from the description to follow.

In the drawings: i

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of sever-al sections ofthe shelving;

FIGURE 2 is a top View of the shelving of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view taken from the left end of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of one of the main basic rectangular frames on a scale reduced from that of the other views;

` FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view partly in section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged view, partly in section, taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged horizontal section through one of the side frame elements or columns taken on the line 7--7 toward the bottom part of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view through one of the side frame columns taken on the line 8 8 of FIG- URE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view broken away in the middle, showing the shelf mountings;

FIGURE l() is a top plan view of a shelf bracket;

FIGURE ll is a front and rear section through one of the shelves, the same being broken away in the middle;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of a top connecting beam for one of the intermediate stacks;

FIGURE 13 is an isometric view of one of the base supports;

FIGURE 14 is an isometric view of one of the bottom cover panels; and

FIGURE 15 is a top plan of one of the lower connector beams, broken away in the middle and around the attaching pins.

The basic unit of the present invention consists of a rectangular frame generally indicated at 20 in FIGURE 4 and in FIGURE 1. Each of these frames consists of side frame support members, or columns 22 and 23, joined by top and bottom channel-shaped members 24 and 25. These four elements are preferably formed of steel welded together, as suggested at w in FIGURE 4, into a rigid structure.

The side frame columns can conveniently all be identical. It is also desirable that they be formed of two identical channel elements, as illustrated in FIGURE 7, Welded together in edge to edge relationship. Each column therefore is a rigid box section. Typically they may be about one inch by six inches, in section.

The lower end of each column is adapted to fit onto a base support. Three such base supports 26, 27 and 28 are shown. FIGURE 13 illustrates one of these identical base supports. It consists of an inverted channel element 29 onto the top of which an I-beam shaped upright 30 is mounted, preferably by welding. FIGURES 7 and 8 show the base 27 with its upright Sil fitting snugly within the hollow side frame Z3. The lit is such that the side frame is securely supported in an upright position, having a close lit at the four corners of the column and upright 30. The inverted channel bottom 29 extends laterally far enough to give stability to prevent the frame from falling forward or backward. With two of the bases in position at the bottom of the frame 20, as illustrated at 26 and 27 in FIGURE 1, the frame has complete stability. The bases may be faced toward each other, so

,y that they do not extend beyond the lateral limits of the frame 2t?.

The top cross member 24 of the frame Ztl consists of an inverted channel member, and thebottom member 2S is of likey shape but upright. These sections aid in giving the frame rigidity.

Each side frame element 22 or 23 is provided with two double rows of left side slots 33 and 34 and two rows of 'correspondingly located right side slots 35 and 36. These slots are numbered as shown in FIGURES and 6. There arel shelf-supporting brackets 3S, all identical. One is shown in FIGURE l0. Each has a ledge 39 and a riser 40. Each riser 4i) has two offsets, upwardly extending ears 41 and 42, that can be inserted into adjacent slots 313-34, or 35-36, as illustrated in FIGURE 9. The upstanding position of the ears makes them easy to insert and remove.

. Oppositely disposed pairs of shelf brackets 38 support shelves 45 shown in FIGURE ll that span the space between the brackets 38 and iit closely enough to the opposite risers 40 to prevent their accidental removal from the slots. Each shelf 45 is provided with an upstanding rim 46 around its back and two side rims 48 as illustrated. Its front edge has a down-turned lip 47. The shelves also have vertically depressed detents 49 and 5@ (see FIGS. 9 and 1l) along their opposite edges that are adapted to rest in recesses or openings 51 and 52 positioned to receive the detents 49 and 50 and thereby position the shelves and yet permit their intentional removal when they are lifted slightly.

Suitable top covers 55 act as dust covers and bottom covers 56 act as bottom shelves, and also as means to improve the appearance. It is desirable to have these covers substantially co-extensive with the shelving. Each top cover 55 has downturned forward and rear edges 57 and 58, respectively, as shown particularly in FIGURE 3. It has a channel element 59 that may be spot welded to its underside. This channel member is sized to t snugly within the upturned channel connecting member 24 as shownin FIGURE 6. By this expedient, the top member may be quickly and easily put into place and will stay when so located.

The bottom cover 56 is illustrated particularly in FIG- URE 14. It has down-turned anges on its forward and rear edges and smaller anges on its ends, to give it rigidity. It is also recessed at 69 and 61 on its opposite ends so that it can be fitted around the columns 22 and 23 constituting the sides of the main frame 20. This bottom cover 56 may be easily slipped into place and will stay there. As illustrated, it covers the base element and gives a neat appearance. The two covers 55 and 56 may extend laterally to the middle of the opposite side frame columns 22 and 23.

The foregoing constitutes a single shelving unit, and can be used separately where only one is necessary. Units of this kind can also be placed back to back if desired. It usually is necessary to provide a series of adjacent stacks. The assembly provides such.

To this end each column 22 or 23 has at its upper and lower outside faces two or more slots such as the keyhole slots 65 and 66 on the left side in the drawing, and 67 and 68 on the right side in the drawing. Similarly at the bottom there are such slots 69 and 70 on the left side of each column, and slots 71 and 72 on the right side thereof. Of course, these slots may be omitted on the inside of the rigid rectangular frame because the connecting elements are welded therein. However, in order to make all of the columns from the same dies, it is usually simpler to provide the slots therein, even though they are not used.

There are a plurality of individual top and bottom connectors 75 and 76. The upper connector 75 is substantially identical with the top connector bar 24 of the rectangular frame. However, the connector 75 has flanges 77 and 78 at its opposite ends, with rivets 79 and 39 i projecting from edge 77 and rivets Si and $2 projecting from the edge 7S. These headed rivets are spaced exactly as the slots 65 and 66 or 67 and d3 are spaced. Consequently, the top connector can be attached to the outside top portion of a column 23 of FIGURE 1 by inter-engaging the hea-ded rivets`79 and @d in the keyhole slots 67 and 65 as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

The lower spacer 76 illustrated separately in FIGURE l5 is constructed similarly to the upper spacer save that its edges are down-turned instead of upturned. It has end iianges S4 and 85, with headed rivets 86 and 87 projecting from its flange 84, and rivets 8S and 89 projecting Vfrom its flange 85. It may be attached to the lower part of a column such as the column 23 by engaging the headed rivets S6 and 87 into the slots 7l and 72 thereof in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8.

Then an individual column 90, which may be identical with either of the columns 22 and 23, can be attached top and bottom by its respective slots 65, 66, 69 and 7@ to the opposite free ends of the upper and lower connectors 75 and 76. The shelf brackets and shelves are installed in the same manner as before as are the top and bottom covers 55 and 56. This then gives two adjacent shelving units. Additional stacks may be added on beyond or, if desired, another rigid rectangular frame may be interposed at a desired location in the series.

With the shelf-bracket slots located as indicated, it is particularly easy to adjust the shelves and have them located for maximum efficiency which means a minimum of lost space between the top of one shelf of boxes and the bottom of the next upward shelf.

The assembly of the shelving should be apparent from the foregoing. It can be done without the use of tools. The shipping of the parts requires a minimum of space. One or a few rigid rectangular frames can be supplied and the rest of the parts can be in single units that can be shipped at. The shelving achieves a great degree of rigidity because of the box section for the columns and the channel sections for the connectors, and yet it takes a very minimum of space for its own structure, and provides a maximum space for receiving the merchandise or material to be stored. For a typical size of three feet for the shelf width and seven feet for the height, the columns may be only one inch wide, which is a saving of one-half an inch in width per column over the next best arrangement heretofore known to the applicant. Furthermore, the requirement for back-to-back columns for adjacent shelving units has been eliminated. With all of this the shelving can be made economically and with standardized sections of minimum number.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the limits of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modiiications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. Shelving, comprising a rigid rectangular frame having spaced hollow vertical side columns polygonal in hollow cross section rigidly Iattached to upper and lower connectors, the hollow columns opening downwardly, and bases having support portions with elongated upstanding elements rigidly mounted on the support portions, the upstanding elements being removably telescoped within the hollow columns along substantial length of the lower ends thereof, with a tight iit that affords a stable base for the rectangular frame, the upstanding elements of the bosses engaging the interiors of the columns at at least three corners thereof, said upstanding elements being spaced from said interiors of said columns between said engaged corners to enable other parts to be interlocked with the columns between their corners.

2. Shelving comprising vertical columns and horizontal connectors, the columns all comprising metal members with opposite spaced left and right faces, both the faces having vertical series of recesses to receive shelf brackets;

two such columns being connected in spaced relation by upper and lower connectors permanently fixed to the upper and lower parts thereof -to constitute a unitary rigid rectangular frame; additional upper and lower connectors and an additional column, like the aforementioned connectors and columns, but each of the additional connectors having quickly-releasable interlock means between its two opposite ends and the walls of the columns, whereby the connectors may be releasably secured to one column of the rectangular frame and to the additional column, to provide a second shelving unit; top and bottom covers, the connectors comprising channel shaped elements with the upper connector disposed edgesupward and the lower connector edges-downward, the top cover having downwardly extending quickly releasable means intertting with the upper connector, the bottom cover extending over the lower connector, and both having downturned forward edges.

3. In shelving: a rigid rectangular frame having two spaced vertical side frame supports, an upper and a lower connector between the upper and lower ends of the side frame supports and the four elements being rigidly connected together to form a structural unity of rectangular shape; at least one additional side frame support, additional top and bottom connectors, and quick-release interlocking means between the additional connectors and the outside of the top and bottom of the side frame supports of the rectangular frame, and between the connectors and the additional side frames; the original unitary frame constituting a basic vertical rectangular frame to receive shelves, and the additional elements forming additional, quickly-attachable and quickly-detachable vertical rectangular frames to receive shelves, the original unitary frame providing basic strength for the equipment permitting the use of relatively less exact but quickly-operable interlocking means for the additional frames; base supports for the side frame supports, the base supports comof the base supports are I-beam sections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,030,472 6/12 Krag 10S-110 1,782,119 11/30 Dean 108-114 1,820,716 8/31 Vance 211-136 2,005,593 6/35 Onions 211--136 2,006,502 7/ 3 5 Hallowell 248--193 2,107,640 2/ 38 Magnuson 248-193 2,111,244 3/38 Hueglin 248-194 2,321,204 6/ 43 Hillenbrand 248-193 2,447,704 8/ 48 Kline 211-13 6 2,555,782 6/51 Brownstein 189-15.5 2,714,540 8/55 Diehm 2li-148 2,803,351 8/57 Van Wiggeren 10S-108 2,867,332 1/59 Adams 108-110 2,907,471 10/59 Henry 211-136 2,999,570 9/61 Seiz 189-36 3,081,718 3/63 Shoner 108-108 FOREIGN PATENTS 568,100 10/57 Italy. 312,155 2/ 56 Switzerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Examiner. 

1. SHELVING, COMPRISING A RIGID RECTANGULAR FRAME HAVING SPACED HOLLOW VERTICAL SIDE COLUMNS POLYGONAL IN HOLLOW CROSS SECTION RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO UPPER AND LOWER CONNECTORS, THE HOLLOW COLUMNS OPENING DOWNWARDLY, AND BASES HAVING SUPPORT PORTIONS WITH ELONGATED UPSTANDING ELEMENTS RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT PORTIONS, THE UPSTANDING ELEMENTS BEING REMOVABLY TELESCOPED WITHIN THE HOLLOW COLUMNS ALONG SUBSTANTIALLY LENGTH OF THE LOWER ENDS THEREOF,. WITH A TIGHT FIT THAT AFFORDS A STABLE BASE FOR THE RECTANGULAR FRAME, THE UPSTANDING ELEMENTS OF THE BOSSES ENGAGING THE INTERIORS OF THE COLUMNS AT AT LEAST THREE CORNERS THEREOF, SAID UPSTANDING ELEMENTS BEING 